Amidst The Chaos
by TheFictionGypsy
Summary: Two different people spark an unusual connection at first sight. With the both of them dealing with their own personal battles, would they find love amidst all the chaos that their lives entail? Would they find a way out and find happiness with each other?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

_Sergio_

It was a particularly hot and humid afternoon in Madrid, Spain. Beads of sweat trickles down Sergio's forehead as he tries to wipe it with the back of his hand. He can feel the dirt and dust stick to his skin as he walks along the quiet streets of Madrid, making his way to his favorite café- Hanoi. As he pushed the door open, the chimes hanging over the doorway echoed throughout the whole room, signaling someone had just entered. Denver, the owner's son who also works there as a bartender and barista looked on his direction and smiled as soon as he realized who just came in. Sergio approached the bar counter and casually sat on one of the stools.

"The usual?" Denver asked. Only, Sergio wasn't in the mood for his usual drink, which is a hot cup of skim latte with sugar-free vanilla. He needed something that would refresh his throat as well as his body.

"I'd like a glass of beer, please. A cold one." Sergio answered.

Denver was surprised by the change of order but refused to comment on it and just went at the back of the bar to serve his friend a glass of cold beer.

_Raquel_

She has had enough with these egomaniac, narcissistic jackasses in front of her, who just couldn't accept the fact that a woman is much more capable of performing their jobs than them and that she is in charge. It was her daily struggle and it does not get easy for her. Ever since she entered the police academy up until now that she's already an inspectora, she is faced with unworthy and uncalled for criticisms from her male colleagues- that no matter how good she is at her job, all she is to them is a pretty face in a uniform.

She felt exhausted after solving yet another case and would give anything to have a glass of beer as refreshment; if not only for the mountain of paperwork that has to be finished today.

"Hey, Raquel. Why don't you go ahead? I'll finish these paperwork." Angel offered. Angel is her co-inspector and trusted partner in the force. At the same time, he is a very good friend- at least that's what she considers him. Unfortunately for him, their relationship is much more than that.

"Thanks, Angel. I really am exhausted today." She said to him with grateful eyes. He smiled at her and took the leather jacket hanging on her chair. He gestured for her to stand up and turn around so that he can put the jacket on for her. Then he touched her shoulder and turned her around once more so she's facing him.

"Good job today. Now go home and rest." He said as he gave her a little push on her back urging her to start walking. Raquel gathered her things and headed for the elevator. When the elevator dinged open, she looked over her shoulder and mouthed her thanks to Angel.

_Denver_

The bell on the entrance door rang and interrupted the two gentlemen's discussion about the current state of economy; by discussion meaning Sergio doing most, if not all of the talking and Denver listening while trying hard to process all of the information that comes out of the Professor's mouth. Both heads turned to the direction of the person who just entered the shop.

"Hi! Welcome to Hanoi." Denver greeted. "What can I get for you?" he followed.

"A glass of beer, please. Thank you." The woman ordered and sat one stool away from the professor.

"One glass of beer, coming right up!" he answered perhaps too cheerfully. But before fetching a glass, he noticed that the professor still hasn't broken his gaze to the lovely brunette.

"I haven't seen you here from before. Is this your first time?" Denver asked trying to make a conversation mostly so that the brunette wouldn't notice that there's a bearded guy with eyeglasses creepily staring at her like a mad man.

"Uhm, yes. I don't usually drink but I-" her sentence was cut off when her phone suddenly rang and excused herself.

"Oy professor!" he said in a low whispered voice so as not to catch the attention of the brunette. "You might wanna close your mouth now before you start drooling. It's been hanging since the pretty lady walked in." He said with a smirk on his face. "Who would've thought? The professor is attracted to a girl…" he continued to tease and let out a weird laugh.

"I am not attracted to that girl." The professor said defensively yet a blush started forming on both of his cheeks.

"Oh yeah? Then why are you blushing?" he just wouldn't let it go.

"I am not!" the professor spoke rather too loudly that he started to feeling conscious, fidgeting on his seat and adjusting his glasses. "I am not blushing." He hissed lowly this time.

"Then why are you fiddling? You only do that when you're nervous or embarrassed." Denver laughed once more. But before Sergio could answer, they heard the brunette asked something.

"Excuse me, do you have a charger? For the phone?" She asked Denver, pertaining that her phone died.

"If it's important, you can use mine." The professor offered out of the blue- surprising even him.

The brunette looked at the professor confused by the sudden offer but did not reject him.

"Are you sure? I only need to make one call…to my mother." She explained. The professor took out his phone and handed it over to her who thanked him in return.

"Smooth, professor." Denver gave him an approving look. "Didn't know you have some few tricks hidden beneath your sleeve." He once again teased.

"Shut up. I was only being nice." The professor said, his eyes not leaving the woman who was walking back and forth on the corner of the shop to have a private phone conversation. Denver waved a hand dismissively and turned away to serve other guests.

_Sergio_

Denver was just teasing. He tried to repeat the sentence on his head over and over again seemingly trying to convince himself that the kid was only making fun of him. But, deep inside he knows that there is something about this woman that mesmerized him at first glance. And true enough; he couldn't stop looking at her. Could it be her eyes? Or the way she pursed her lips into a thin line? What would it feel like to kiss those lips? His thoughts were interrupted by the sweet voice coming from the brunette.

"Thank you for lending me your phone." She said, returning it to him. When he stretched his hand to take it, the tip of his fingers brushed against hers and he felt an inexplicable tingle travel through out his body.

"You're welcome. I didn't catch your name. What is it?"

"Raquel. Raquel Murillo." She gave him a soft smile.

"Sergio. Sergio Marquina." He extended a hand and Raquel took it. He didn't realize that he was holding her hand longer than a normal handshake would be and he felt her slightly tug away her hand from his grasp. He shyly muttered an apology.

"What brings you here?" he asked, adding that it was indeed his first time seeing her here.

"Bad day at work. Are you a regular here?" Sergio felt good seeing that she has taken an interest in this small talk. So far so good.

"You can say that, yes. Somehow this place has become a haven for me. I've been coming here for the past 15 years of my life."

"Wow that's a long time." She said but her face showing that it didn't really amaze her. What does he do now? What should he say next?

Dead silence filled the air and Sergio is starting to feel awkward. He didn't know how to do this kind of thing. He doesn't make small talks with strangers; more so flirt with gorgeous women because obviously, he would never be some pretty girl's type. He likes to have meaningful and informative conversations with people, which is the very reason his friends call him "Professor". Well, besides the fact that he really is one. He turned his head slowly to her side to look at her and he saw her took a deep sigh, her chin resting on her palm and her eyes closed. Maybe she did have a bad day.

When he is having a bad day, he opts to be alone and enjoy the serene silence it could offer. Maybe that's what Raquel needs. Sergio finished down his beer and left a few bills on the counter top signaling to Denver that he's done for the day.

_Raquel_

Raquel took another deep breath and massaged her temple. Her mother had called and frantically asking her where she was. It had slipped out her mind to inform her that she would be home slightly later than the usual- she never forgets to do that. She understands that due to the hazards that entail her line of work, her mother wouldn't help it but worry that something bad would happen to her especially when she's on field. She did lose her husband while on duty after all. At times like this that she misses her father most- he who encouraged her daughters to live the life that they truly want; he who told them to always hold their heads high whenever someone would try to degrade their worth and then prove them wrong. She wonders if her father would be proud of what she has become.

She heard the sound of the stool moving so she collected her thoughts and opened her eyes. She saw that the kind man, Sergio, is about to leave.

"You're leaving." She said in a serious tone and disappointingly said, "I'm sorry I'm the worst company."

"Oh no, please don't apologize." He said in a comforting tone. "It's just that whenever I'm feeling down, I'd rather enjoy some peace and quiet. I was only thinking that maybe, you'd like some peace and…" His voice trailed off when he realized that she was smiling.

"Why are you smiling?" he asked, confused of what was happening. From the look of his face he must've thought he said something funny or something embarrassing.

"You're sweet. And you don't even know it. But no, I don't want to be alone yet I don't want to talk either. Is that weird?" She asked with a scrunched face. It took a second for him to answer and to be honest, she felt nervous. She can't believe she's nervous of what this man thought of her when all her life, she has never cared of any man's opinion.

"Not at all." He finally answered.

"Very well, would you like to enjoy the silence with me, Mr. Marquina?" she asked and immediately felt silly and embarrassed. A few strands of hair fell in front of her face.

"It'd be a pleasure, Ms. Murillo." She heard him said and looked back up at him. His face gave such a gentle expression.

She finally closed her eyes but this time, her thoughts wandered on the man sitting beside her.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

_Sergio_

The next morning, Sergio woke up with a smile on his face. He kept replaying in his head the events of last night when Raquel actually struck up a conversation with him after several minutes of silence. They both shared their occupation with each other and he'd be lying if he said it didn't surprise him to learn she was a police inspector. He could already tell she was the finest at her division. He, on the other hand, shared that he teaches college students at the University of Madrid.

"_So that's why Denver calls you professor."_

"_Not quite, Inspectora. Sergio here got that nickname because he wouldn't stop lecturing us about…absolutely everything." _

He laughed when he remembered that part of their conservation when Denver joined the two of them later on.

When the night came to an end, they exchanged phone numbers. He was so tempted to offer to drive her home but decided against it. Too bold, he thought. Instead, he wished her a good night and said it was very nice meeting her.

It is the weekend so he didn't have to go to the university. He's planning on doing some reading and researching at the public library but deep inside, all he wants to do is contact Raquel, invite her for a cup of coffee and talk with her for hours. But she said she'd call so all he could really do is to wait for her to actually call. He contemplated for a second. Should he wait? Or should he call her instead? What if that's a thing that girls say but actually meant otherwise? What if she's the one waiting for him to call? But Raquel isn't just any other girl. What if she meant what she said? He shook his head and cleared his mind and decided to freshen up so he could start the day good. He got up from his bed and fetched his towel. It is going to be a long day anyway so there's going to be plenty of time to think about Raquel.

_Raquel_

It was Raquel's day off from work so she released a grateful sigh knowing she gets to break loose from all the tensions at work today. If only she could also catch a break from all the tensions of her personal life. Realizing that she did catch a break even if it was only for a few hours with a man she just met, she smiled. The momentary smile that escaped from her lips while thinking about Sergio was snatched away by a voice that just entered the dining area where she was having her morning coffee.

"What time did you arrive home last night?" Marivi, her mother, asked.

"Not sure. I think around 11PM." She answered before taking a sip of her coffee.

"And? Something good happened, yes?" she looked at her mother with the coffee mug covering half of her face. Her mother had grin on her face and her left eyebrow raised as if suspecting something. Meanwhile, the question rendered her confused.

"No not really. What made you ask?"

"Well, you were smiling alone a while ago."

"Oh." It was the only thing she was able to say.

"Did you meet someone? Perhaps…a man?" her mother continued to interrogate.

"Maybe."

"Did you sleep with him?"

"Mother!" she gasped in surprise. Her sex life wasn't exactly her favorite thing to talk about with her mother. She could already feel her cheeks burning.

"What? I mean it's obvious because you're smiling like an idiot when I entered. It was that good?" her mother insisted. Why do mothers like to embarrass their children?

"Oh my god, stop it! I didn't sleep with anybody!" she doesn't even know why she's being defensive.

"Are you lying? You don't have to be shy about it, mija. You're already a mature woman and quite frankly you have my good looks and perfect features."

"Again, stop it."

"And I also think that it would good for you start dating again." This time, she gave her a sharp look that says she's serious and her mother raised both hands in surrender.

Last night couldn't be something good, right? It was just a friendly conversation with a stranger- a handsome, sweet and intelligent stranger, who she couldn't get out of her thoughts. But then why does she blush every time she thinks of him? She bit her lower lip when she remembered how hot Sergio was while talking about something she doesn't even recall now because her eyes kept drifting to his mouth, and how his Adam's apple move whenever he would take a swig of his beer. Then she genuinely smiled when she remembered how the lines beside his eyes wrinkle when he laughs, how his brows furrow when he listens to her speak as if digesting every thing she has to say, and how he adjusts his eyeglasses every now and then when he speaks.

"Mija!" her mother's call startled her. She shook her head when she realized her thoughts wandered aimlessly once more to Sergio.

"Yes, Mama?"

"I asked if you want a refill of your coffee?"

"Oh, yes please." She slid her mug on the table towards her mother who poured a freshly brewed coffee. Her mother got up to prepare a toast of bread for the each of them.

"Uhm, by the way…Alberto went by last night. Good thing you're not here."

Raquel gulped the hot coffee in her mouth too quickly that she started coughing- her heart began beating rapidly. Her mother put the breads down and strode forward to her daughter and massaged her back to ease her from all the coughing.

"Don't worry. I told him to fuck off."

Alberto- a name that terrifies Raquel by the mere mention of it. She hated how much fear her fucking ex-boyfriend had instilled in her. The nightmare she experienced with that man kept creeping in no matter how hard she tried to move on. She can still feel the pain of every beating she took from that bastard. She unconsciously touched her cheeks when she felt the sting of every slap from that monster's hand. Her breathing became shallow that she felt like she was choking. Her chest suddenly tightened that she had to hold onto the table to keep her body steady and then closed her eyes in an attempt to focus on calming herself down.

"Breathe, Mija." She felt a hand caressing her back in a soothing motion. She tried to breathe in and out until she was sweating.

"That's right, calm down. Breathe." Her mother whispered to ear while breathing with her and repeatedly kissed her hair.

"It's okay. You're okay. You're here with mama."

Raquel released a muffled sob. She grasped her mother's arms tightly that's hugging her from around her shoulders, and then she cried her heart out.

_Sergio_

The entire morning had passed and Sergio had lost count of how many times he checked his phone. He had spent his morning at the library doing just as he planned and now he is on his way to Hanoi.

"Professor!" Denver greeted him.

"Two coffees and a box of empanadas for to-go please." He ordered as he took a seat on his spot.

"Two coffees? Are you meeting with someone? Let me see…a pretty brunette, perhaps?" Denver teased while moving his eyebrows up and down.

"No, I'm on my way to my brother's house." He said disappointingly because to be honest, he would prefer Denver's guess.

"Oh that's fine professor. Tell you what, when Raquel comes by here at the shop, I'll make sure to give you a call." The young man said probably noticing his disappointment and giving him a pat on his shoulder.

"I appreciate that, bud. But don't bother. She said she'd call and if she doesn't…" he ran out of words and he can see Denver waiting for what he is going to say next. However, he let just out a sigh.

"Is my order ready?" he tried to save himself from any further embarrassment.

"Yup, here you go."

"Bye bud. See you tomorrow. And thank you again for the offer." He said as he went for the door, but not before seeing the sympathetic look on the young man's face.

As he drove away from Hanoi he immediately regretted not accepting Denver's suggestion about giving him a heads up when Raquel happens to come by the shop. It was a twenty-minute drive from Hanoi to his brother's house and he swore that time just slowed down because he still kept on checking his phone. He cursed in frustration when he saw that there's still no call, not even a message from her.

He honked twice when he parked in front of his brother's house. He got out of the car and walked along his driveway while balancing in one hand the box of empanadas and their coffees so he could ring the doorbell but then the door suddenly opened and revealed a redhead dressed only in a man's polo shirt, which he assumed is his brother's.

"Hi." The redhead greeted while sucking on what seemed to be a lollipop. Sergio eyed the woman carefully.

"Hello. I'm looking for Andres."

"And who might you be?" before he could answer, his brother's voice greeted him from inside the house.

"Ah! Hermano! You're quite early"

"No, Andres. This is what you call being on time."

"Oh come on you don't have to snap on me. I see you've met Alicia?" His brother said with a smug look on his face and wrapped his arms on the woman's waist.

"Alicia Sierra" the redhead extended her hand to Sergio and he mindedly took it and shook her hand.

"Come on in."

"I only bought two coffees." He whispered to his brother while stepping inside the house.

"Don't worry about it."

"I'm going to be in the bedroom if you need me." Alicia said to Andres and put the lollipop on his mouth, which of course made Sergio want to vomit.

"Oh please. When you start having a girlfriend, you'd also start to find that sexy." His brother teased and led him to his dining room.

When both man finally settled in their sits, Andres asked what this impromptu visit was for.

"I have to ask you something important." Sergio started.

"And this couldn't be done on the phone?"

"You wouldn't answer your phone. Now I know why."

"Well? What is this something important that you couldn't wait for me to finish having sex?"

"Okay did you really have to specify? I already said I now know why right?" Andres just laughed and took a sip of his coffee. He waved his hand urging his little brother to go on.

"When a girl said she'd call you, would she really?" his brother almost spitted the coffee out upon hearing what he just asked.

"What?!" Andres asked with an amused look.

"Don't make me say it again. I'm embarrassed enough to come here seeking for advice."

"Are you having girl problems?"

"Maybe." Sergio started fidgeting his glasses. "Well?" he followed up.

"I've never been told that." His brother answered.

"Okay…" he tried to process. "Have you said it to anyone you've dated though?"

"Yes. A lot." Okay that's a good thing, he thought.

"But that's after sex. Did you have sex with her?"

"No! I don't sleep with a girl I just met. So what do you mean when you say you'd call? Do you call her?"

"No, hermano. That's what you say when you won't call her."

"Oh." his hopes were dashed off immediately upon hearing what his brother had just said.

"But hey, this is from a man's perspective. I can't speak for women." His brother said trying to find some silver lining on his situation and he appreciated that. Still, he could feel his chest tightened from dismay.

"It's fine, Andres." He tried to dismiss.

"No hey look. You guys didn't have sex so really there's nothing to run away from so why would she even say it. Come one, tell me about this girl. When did you meet her?"

"Last night. We just talked all night over beer."

"See it hasn't even been a whole day yet. She'll probably call you tonight and ask you to meet her again." 

"You think so?"

"Maybe. And if she doesn't, then you give her call."

"But I don't want to impose myself on her."

"You're not imposing. You're just asking her out. That happens to people all the time."

"Really? Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm absolutely sure." He said in a firm voice. "It's called dating." He shook his head when he realized that his brother is making fun of him.

Then again, he's thankful for the words of encouragement. If his brother thinks it's okay to make the first call, then he'd do it. Because if there's someone who is expert in this thing called "dating", it would definitely be the one and only, Andres de Fonollosa.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

_**Sergio**_

Sergio kept phasing back and forth in his living room, his palms sweating from all the nerve of what he is about to do. Never in his life had he felt this nervous before, and most certainly not over a single phone call. He released one last immense sigh and stopped in front his lamp table where his phone is currently situated. He reached for it with a trembling hand. As his palm touched the rectangular device, his eyes unconsciously closed shut.

"_Why the hell am I overreacting over a phone?"_ He thought to himself, immediately feeling foolish.

He brought it close to his chest as if his life depended on it. Then, all of a sudden, he felt a vibrating sensation in between his palms and his chest; it was his phone. He couldn't explain the combined fear and excitement that just rushed through his veins. This is it. Raquel is actually ringing him. And so with one deep breath, he excitingly turned his attention to his phone and looked at the screen.

"CALL THE GIRL NOW YOU IDIOT!" the screen displayed, with a snooze and stop option showing…and the time indicating it's 8:00PM. His mouth hung open.

"Fucking…asshole!" he yelled as soon as his phone stopped vibrating, not entirely sure if he could already see straight. He gripped the phone intensely firm on his hand and then slammed it on the table. While of course he is trying to keep his annoyance at bay, he couldn't help but swear to all entities that could hear him right now that he's going to kill Andres as soon as this night is over.

He cursed again, a little more than necessary even for him, when he imagined how his brother must've been laughing his ass off at this very moment. He threw himself at the couch and removed his eyeglasses then proceeded to massage his temple to regain his concentration- his confidence, as well. As he took a deep sigh, his phone vibrated once more making him hiss.

"Oh I swear Andres…" he muttered while putting his glasses back on, reaching for his phone and then continued, "If you actually put a snooze on this thing I'm gonna-" his sentence was abruptly cut off when he saw that it wasn't an alarm that is being displayed on his screen this time. Instead, it was an incoming call from a certain Raquel Murillo.

_**Raquel**_

"Hello?" Raquel greeted for the nth time. She removed her phone from her ear and double-checked if she dialed the correct number and if it was in fact answered. Seeing that it was indeed Sergio's number and that the call was running, she spoke again.

"Uhm, hello? Sergio?" she heard him clearing his throat- _if it was him_, she thought. When another moment of silence had passed, embarrassment slowly crept in on her. What was she even thinking? The man must've been busy. He could be having drinks with someone or spending time with his friends- the latter more preferable. Not knowing what to say or do anymore, she decided to just apologize for the inconvenience caused by her incautious attempt to go out with a man she barely even know.

"I'm…" she let out a sigh. "…so sorry for calling." now that she thought about it, he probably didn't even save her number thus have no idea who's on the other line. She closed her eyes and face-palmed herself then muttered, "You're such an idiot, Raquel."

"I don't think you're an idiot." A voice suddenly spoke so softly she's not even sure if she actually heard it.

"Hello?" she tried once more.

"Hi, Ms. Murillo." He finally answered. A few seconds passed and then,

"Finally, Mr. Marquina." She replied and gave a soft chuckle.

"I could same the say to you."

"What's that?"

"Nothing. So uhm, you called?"

"I did, yes." She said, then allowing another moment of silence passed.

"How are y-" "How've you b-" both asked at the same time.

"You first." she offered.

"All right…how are you?" he asked.

"I'm feeling well." She answered then followed, "How about you?"

"Never been better. Listen uhm…I know you're the one who called but before anything else, can I ask you something?" Sergio said in a serious tone. She began to feel the thumping of her heart as the anticipation of what's about to unfold strengthened by the minute.

"Yeah, sure. Go ahead." She tried to act cool by shrugging her shoulder like this doesn't affect her- and then shook her head when she realized he couldn't even see her. Now she's bothered if she sounded cool when she said it. She bit her lip as she waited for him to speak.

"Can I…uhm…would you- okay uhm, I was thinking…" she smiled a little when she figured out that judging by the way he's fumbling for words, she's not the only one who's affected. "_At least I sounded cool"_\- she thought, which made her smile even more.

"Sergio." She called out. "What were you gonna ask me?" she followed up.

"Okay here it is." She heard him took a deep breath, still he sounded nervous. "Would you like to go out with me tonight?" Indeed, there it was.

"Well…I was gonna ask you that when I called. It'd be a real bummer if I say no." she playfully said earning a laugh from him. The images of him laughing flashed on her mind and she felt the butterflies fluttered inside her stomach.

"Let's meet at Hanoi then?" he proposed.

"Yes. I'll see you there." She hanged up before either of them could even say good-bye and hurriedly went straight to her room.

_**Sergio**_

To say that he is anxious seemed to be an understatement. He is frightened because he didn't plan for this night at all and he was never the man without a plan. Everyone who knew him well can vouch that he absolutely hates being unprepared or getting into something that isn't carefully planned.

He didn't sit at his usual spot but instead opted for the couch seat for a little more privacy when Raquel arrives. He looked at his watch to check how much time had already passed and saw that it was only 5 minutes from the time he got here but he swore it already felt like hours. He caught Denver's look from the bar who waved at him to calm down.

The bell from the doorway sounded and he suddenly felt his muscles tensed. He raised his head to look at the entrance and his eyes were caught in awe by the sight of the incredibly beautiful woman who has been working up his mind restlessly for the past 24 hours. She was wearing a white loose shirt tucked into her tight jeans with her leather jacket hanging on her right arm. Somehow, she had managed to make something so simple look absolutely breathtaking.

He waved at her when he saw that she hasn't noticed him yet and their eyes met. She smiled and waved back at him. While she's walking towards him, he once again worked up his mind on how he should greet her. Should he extend a hand for a handshake? Or should he give her half a hug and pat her on the back? _Okay the second one would be awkward, right?_ he thought. By the time he could decide on what to do, she was already standing right in front of him.

"Hi." Raquel said shyly while pushing some strand of hair at the back of her ear.

"Hi. Please, take a seat." Sergio said while pointing at the couch.

"So…" Sergio tried to start but couldn't think of anything to follow.

"Are we doing beer or coffee?" she asked.

"Your choice."

"All right. Beer it is."

Their laughter had filled the entire shop. Sergio has never felt this light-hearted with another woman before. Being slightly drunk has always helped his conversational skills.

"I cannot believe he did that! That's so mean!" Raquel said when he shared how his brother set up an alarm on his phone to intentionally fool him that it was a phone call from her.

"I know! I wanted to strangle him to death at the time!" He said happily now that they could make fun of that story. "He's a very good brother though." His expression and smile turned gentle and delicate. "Despite of all the ways he poked fun at me, he always looked out for me and my younger sister." He continued.

"Oh you have a younger sister?"

"Yes. Silene. She's in Tokyo right now, living the life "wild and free" as she referred to it. She loves to travel. She definitely got my brother's liberated attitude and let me tell you, they clash." He gave a soft chuckle. "But they both mean extremely dear to me." He continued.

"I know." She answered, which surprised him.

"You do, huh?"

"Yes. I could see it in your eyes and I could hear it in your voice." She said while staring deeply into his eyes. "And it's a cop thing." She followed and gave him a wink.

"Right. Did you always want to become a cop?" he asked, genuinely interested.

"Hmm I guess you could say that. My father was a cop and growing up I've seen the good things he did for the community and for the city and it stuck to me. What I really wanted growing up is to effect change in this world, it didn't matter how I'd do it. It's a hard ambition but…I'd like to think that somehow, I'm getting there." She said with dreamy eyes. "What about you, professor?" she returned the question then took a sip of her beer.

"Me, not really. It's just that I used to spend my whole day reading books. I was a sick kid so I was always confined at some hospital. I couldn't attend school so I had to learn things by myself. I was always too weak to do all the activities a normal kid or teenager could do so I stayed in my comfort zone. And I guess, just like what you've said earlier, it stuck to me." He finished with a smile. He couldn't remember a time that he had shared intimate personal information about his childhood to just anybody. Then again, Raquel isn't anybody.

"It must've been hard for you."

"It was. But I'm all good now."

"I'm glad."

The night had been nothing but spectacular. Sergio still couldn't believe that he is sitting in front of such a wonderful woman, who as the time passed by, managed to amaze him even more. He kept looking at her mouth and wanted nothing but to kiss her right there and then but he couldn't muster up the courage to do so. Instead, he slowly moved his hand to touch hers so he could intertwine his fingers with hers.

Raquel was looking out the window, watching the busy streets of Madrid so she really couldn't see that he was about to touch her hand. When his hand was only inches away, he took a deep breath and finally placed it on top of hers- only he didn't expect her reaction.

She flinched. She gasped. Her eyes widened not in surprise, but in horror. She put her hand on her mouth to cover the whimper that escaped from her lips. Her eyes glistened with tears.

"Raquel?" Sergio asked in a concerned voice. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have done that, I didn't mean to scare you. Are you okay?" he was starting to panic because it seemed like she was already panting. He stood up from his seat and went beside her to help her slow down her breathing.

"Raquel, breathe." He tried to instruct her. However, Raquel shoved him away and ran for the door.

"Wait!" he made his way to the exit. Denver gave him a worried look as he passed by him but ignored him. He pushed the door open and was confronted by the cold breeze. He turned around to look for Raquel and there he saw her at the corner of the street evidently crying. He walked towards her and announced himself this time.

"Raquel…I'm really sorry."

"Stop." She finally faced him, tears streaming down her face. "It's not you. It's me. This is a mistake. I shouldn't have gone out with you. I thought I was ready. But I'm not. And I don't think I ever will be."

"What do you mean?" he asked- confused. She looked at him in the eyes and shook her head. She placed her hand on her chest, right where her heart is. 

"I'm broken, Sergio. I'm so broken." Seeing her like this shattered his heart and he couldn't help but also shed a tear.

"Let me help you." He whispered so softly. "No scratch that. I'm here. I will help you." He extended a hand hoping that she would take it. He could see the sadness in her eyes- the very eyes that not so long ago was filled with so much mirth. Whatever happened to her, he would help her fix herself.

Raquel must've seen the determination in his eyes because she moved her hand and reached for his. He held her; his thumb comfortingly caressed her skin. He slowly pulled her and she willingly let him. They were so close to each other now. One feeling the other one's breathing. Raquel closed her eyes and inhaled his scent. Then she leaned her head on his chest, feeling the rapid thumping of his heart.

"Why are you not running away from me, Sergio?" she whispered. "All the others did." She followed. He felt her tighten her hold on his shirt.

"I told you, I'm not normal. I'm not like the others." He assured her.

They stayed like that for a while. Neither one of them spoke. Both embraced the silence. At that moment, he promised to himself that he wouldn't be letting her go anytime soon.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

_**Sergio**_

Ever since what happened the night of their first date, they had spent quite a lot of time together- meeting every morning for coffee and then having long meaningful conversations at night. Both were glad that they had developed a special kind of friendship. During the weekends, they would take long walks along the streets of Madrid for fresh air, then end up at Raquel's house to watch whatever show is on the television, which would again end up with them ignoring the TV and just proceed to talk about whatever topic comes up.

It was the third weekend that Sergio had fallen asleep on the couch and had spent the night at the Murillos' household. He shifted from his position, feeling an ache on his back, and carefully rolled over. Somehow sensing that someone is staring at him, he slowly opened his eyes and saw a figure standing right in front of him. He abruptly sat up straight and instinctively looked for his glasses.

"Careful." A voice said with a chuckle.

As he put on his glasses, his vision was foggy for a moment but then focused on the figure in front of him. It was Raquel with a cup of coffee in her hand.

"Are you awake now?" she teased.

"You scared me." he said in a groggy voice, still quite disoriented from waking up.

"Uhm, you might wanna cover your…" he looked up at her and saw that she was blushing. He followed the direction of what she was pointing at and his eyes landed on his crotch- his obviously awake crotch. Feeling the heat reach his face, he immediately grabbed a pillow to cover himself. He looked at Raquel once more and saw that she was looking far away from him while pretending to sip her coffee. He wanted to evaporate into thin air.

"Breakfast is ready!" Marivi shouted from the kitchen.

"_Oh, thank goodness" _he thought, thankful for the distraction.

"Come on. I'll make you coffee." Raquel said, and then walked inside the kitchen to sit on the dining table. He calmed himself down and soon followed her. The kitchen was filled with the smell of pancakes and coffee and as he entered, a small smile formed on his lips. He couldn't believe how homely this was.

"Good morning." He shyly greeted the Murillo women and sat down to eat his pancakes.

"Why do you keep sleeping on the couch? Raquel's bed is big enough for the both of you." Marivi nonchalantly said, which earned a death-stare from her daughter. Meanwhile, the question caught him off-guard that he choked on the coffee he was drinking, making him cough roughly.

"Are you okay?" Raquel whispered to him. "Do you want me to get you some water?" she offered, obviously concerned. He shook his head and tried to put himself together thinking he should definitely stop embarrassing himself in front of the Murillo women.

"Mama, turn on your filter, please." Raquel said to her mother, who only shrugged her shoulders and let out a soft chuckle.

_**Raquel**_

Breakfast was lovely if she minus the times her mother managed to mortify both her and Sergio. She couldn't possibly ponder how natural everything feels- Sergio spending the night, eating breakfast with them, having a conversation with her and her mother like they've known each other for the longest time. She couldn't help but smile at the domesticity of it all. Yet there's this fear of getting attached with him that kept on buggering her at the end of each day they spend together. What if this is once again a start of something horrifying like what happened with Alberto? What if this is something too good to be true? Her thoughts were interrupted when her mother uttered a question.

"Tell me again why you haven't slept with that man yet?" her mother bluntly asked.

"Aaaand the filter's off." she said and looked over her shoulder to check if Sergio, who is currently washing the dishes, heard her mother. "We're just friends." she stated as a matter of a fact.

Her mother snorted and said, "Right. Friends my beautiful ass." Raquel threw her mother a sharp look and shook her head. Sometimes she doesn't know how her mother could be so straightforward.

"I'm serious. We're taking it slow. Mostly me."

"Oh cariño." Her mother lovingly caressed her cheek. "You know what, I take it back. Slow is good."

"Thank you." She smiled then looked at the man who was now drying his hands with a towel. He met her eyes and gave her a sweet smile, which she gladly returned. He was now walking towards the table and before taking a seat, touched her on the shoulder.

"Very well, I'm going back to my room now. I'll leave you two then." Her mother said while she waved her hand, and then kissed her on the forehead before exiting the kitchen.

Sergio was sitting from across the table with his second cup of coffee.

"Did you have a good sleep?" he asked, knowing that her nightmares haven't fully disappeared yet.

"I did. These past few weeks I've been sleeping so soundly thanks to you." She replied sincerely.

Sergio has a way of making her feel safe. She found his presence so calming and his words reassuring. Somehow he has offered a kind of support system that she didn't realize she needed to accept. And she badly wants to show him how much she cares for him too; she just didn't know how and if she's ready enough. She often thought about the possibility that she's already fallen in love with this incredibly affectionate man but then she would find herself tearing up, because in reality, she still couldn't see the line that separates love with pain, depression, and fear. And she aches for the day that she could totally abolish the terror, the angst from deep within her heart, so she could be the woman whom Sergio deserves.

She heard him cleared his throat, breaking the silence between them.

"So uhm, my brother will be hosting dinner next Saturday. He asked me if you could come."

"Really?" she asked, a little bit surprised.

"Yes. Some of our friends are going to be there too."

"Oh."

"It's okay if you don't want to come. I'll just tell him you have plans." He said, sensing her hesitation.

"No, I want to come."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. Besides, I cannot miss the opportunity to hear embarrassing stories about you." She said with a smirk.

When Sergio left that afternoon, she prepped herself for a lunch date with her childhood best friend who just got back in town and whom she would be meeting at Hanoi. Hanoi simply became her favorite place ever since she first set foot at the café. She wore a cream-colored sundress with floral patterns and let the natural waves of her hair flow. She put on light make-up to brighten up her face. Deciding that she's already good to go, she knocked on her mother's door to bid goodbye and promised that she would be back before dinnertime, and then drove to Hanoi.

She pushed the door open and looked around for her friend with whom she figured wasn't there yet. She walked towards the bar counter and sat on her stool and waited for Denver to turn around, who was busy operating the cappuccino machine. As Hanoi became a very special place for her, so was the lad who was always behind the counter. She had gotten close with Denver throughout the days and somehow considered him a good and trusted friend. When he finally turned around, his serious and focused face turned into a wide smile.

"Inspectora!" he happily greeted and Raquel gave him a playful salute. "You didn't tell me you were coming. Is the professor coming too?" he added.

"No no. I'm actually here to meet a dear friend."

"Oooh! Any chance that this friend is a young single lady who is as beautiful as you?" he playfully asked with his eyebrows moving up and down.

"You be the judge when she gets here." She answered with a giggle.

And right on cue, the bell on the doorway chimed, which made both of them look at its direction. A tall and petite young woman entered, whose blonde curly hair is enormously gorgeous. Upon seeing Raquel, the woman shrieked with joy and waved at her excitedly. Raquel waved back and stood up from her seat to welcome her dearest friend.

"Raquel! Oh it's so good to finally see you!" she said and gave her friend a tight hug.

"It's so good to see you too, Monica!" she hugged back and said, "I missed you a lot!"

"I missed you a lot too. Let's take a seat now shall we?" Monica suggested.

"Wait, I'd like you to meet someone first." Raquel said and took her friend's hand. As they made their way to Denver, she couldn't help but laugh at the young lad's reaction. He was awfully struck by Monica's beauty and he didn't bother to even hide it on his face.

"Mon, I'd like you to meet Denver. His father owns this shop and he runs it." she said sounding like a proud sister. "Denver, this is Monica. My childhood and best friend."

The two shook hands and exchanged a "nice to meet you" greeting.

"We'll have two coffees, bud. Thank you!" Raquel said and excitedly pulled Monica's hand to have a seat on the couch by the window.

The best friends spent their time exchanging stories and new experiences they managed to earn. Raquel left out the details as to why she broke up with Alberto, deciding that it would be a conversation for another time, and instead told her everything about Sergio.

"Well he seems to be a nice guy and obviously you're smitten with him so I don't get why you're not together." Monica commented.

"It's complicated, Mon. I'm complicated." She sadly acknowledged.

"Hey. The complicated ones are the ones worth fighting for." Monica assured her.

"Thank you, Mon. That means so much to me." She smiled appreciatively.

"Now. Tell me about Denver. Is he single?"

Raquel laughed at Monica's evident interest at Denver. She could already see what's about to ensue and to be honest, she felt excited. There's nothing more thrilling and delightful than two of her most beloved friends getting to know each other- that would maybe, if not definitely, would evolve into a dashing relationship.

"Very." she replied with a wink. 

"Good." Monica replied which earned a gasp from her and then laughed. Clearly, it's good to have her friend back.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

_**Raquel**_

It was the night of Andres' dinner gathering. She wore a long, comfortable, knitted sweater tucked-in on her skinny jeans. She partnered her outfit with her favorite leather boots. Although Sergio insistently said to dress casual, here he was with his white long sleeves and black tie- complete with a coat. She wanted to change but Sergio said she looked absolutely perfect so she believed him. Nevertheless, she can't stop feeling nervous.

"Are you okay?" he asked because she was quietly looking out the window, staring at his brother's house. She only nodded in response.

"Let's go then." He got out of his seat and quickly walked onto the other side of the car to open the door for her. When they reached the front door, Sergio knocked twice and almost immediately, they heard somebody shouting- offering to get the door. They heard the footsteps coming so he took a step back and threw her a reassuring smile. The door opened and the sight of a beautiful woman greeted them, whose face instantly lit up when she saw Sergio.

"Professor!" the woman exclaimed.

"Agata. So happy to see you." Sergio said as he opened his arms for a hug.

"I could say the same to you!" Agata said with such glee. When she took the hug, her eyes finally met Raquel's. She pushed Sergio aside to look at Raquel in her full form. She turned her head slightly to the professor without breaking eye contact.

"And who do we have here?" she said in surprise.

"Hi." Raquel said nervously and extended a hand. "I'm Raquel. Sergio's friend."

"Hello there! I'm Agata." she said as she accepted the handshake. "Come on in!"

When they stepped inside, Raquel looked around and observed the place. It was a nice, huge house, definitely a Mediterranean style household judging by the combination of warm woods and bricks on the wall. It was simple yet elegant.

"The gang is out in the veranda." She heard Agata say to Sergio.

As soon as Sergio opened the sliding door that leads to the veranda, the beautiful warm color of the sunset welcomed their eyes. She was sure she just gasped in awe. When she finally stepped out of the threshold, she was surprised to see such an enchanting setting for a dinner. There were strings of tiny light bulbs hanging on the roof of the veranda, which made the place very intimate. In the middle is a long table, which looked like an antique- the chairs matching its design. There were candles illuminating the variety of delicious-looking food served on the table. As she looked around more, she saw unfamiliar faces laughing with each other while holding what looked like sangrias. In a way she felt out of placed. _What the hell am I doing in a house full of strangers?_ She thought. She's sure it's just her imagination, but she felt the ground just swallowed her feet because she couldn't seem to move. She looked around once more and sighed in relief as she finally saw a familiar face.

"Professor! Inspectora!" Denver waved at them and stood up to give them a hug. The young man caught the attention of the others and so they started walking towards them. She stepped aside, not wanting to interrupt their little reunion.

"Ah! Professor! Long time no see!" A much younger-looking lad said and hugged Sergio.

"Anibal. How's out-of-college life treating you?"

"I'm still trying to enjoy my unemployment, profe. Soon enough I'll start looking for a job." Anibal smiled and then moved aside to make way for the others.

"Good to see you, Martin." Sergio greeted. Martin just hugged and patted him on the back.

"Professor!" A largely built man saluted to him.

"Yashin." He saluted back. The two ended up hugging too, which made them laugh. She was starting to feel awkward when all of a sudden, Agata wrapped an arm on her shoulder, tugging her closer.

"Hey profe! Aren't you going to introduce your friend?" Agata commented with a smug look on her face.

"Oooh, professor brought a girl." Anibal teased exchanging looks with everyone else.

"Yes. Uhm." Sergio was visibly affected by all the teasing that he started adjusting his eyeglasses. "Guys, this is Raquel. She's my good friend." He said which earned him some "ooh" and "aah" from the gang.

"Hi. Good evening." Raquel greeted and smiled.

"Well, you're already friends with Denver." He said while pointing at Denver. "Those are Anibal, Martin and Yashin" all three of them waved in acknowledgement. "And you've met Agata earlier."

"Take a seat. We're starting dinner soon." Agata said to Raquel and she happily obliged.

"Inspectora." Denver called and motioned for her to join him at the table. "Uhm I might have brought someone with me. Please don't be mad." He said in an agitated manner, which rendered her confused.

"Why would I be mad?" he was about to open his mouth in response, but before he could do so, she heard a familiar voice called her name coming from inside the house.

"Monica?!" she's not even sure why she's surprised to see her two friends together. Mon waved and joined them at the table.

"Have you met everyone?" Mon excitingly asked.

"I still haven't met his brother. Where did you come from?"

"Oh me too. He hasn't showed up yet. And the bathroom." 

"Are you drunk?"

"Tipsy. Not drunk. You want something to drink?"

"Wow. You're fairly comfortable here."

"I know! I think it's the sangria."

When Monica stood up to fetch their drinks. She shot Denver a sharp look.

"I'll keep an eye on her, I promise."

"You better."

Raquel removed her attention on the lovebirds and caught the sight of Sergio intensely talking with everyone. Now she can see what Denver was pertaining to at the night of their first meeting. His hand gestures and his posture scream authority. She couldn't help but smirk at how everybody is listening attentively to him.

"He gets serious like that." Denver whispered to her noticing that she was staring at the little affair happening at the other end of the table.

"And why aren't you there? Don't tell me you're cutting professor's classes?"

"Ha! You're not going to snitch on me, are you?"

Monica arrived with a glass on each hand and offered one to Raquel. She accepted it, muttered a small thank you and took a sip of her sangria. She relaxingly closed her eyes when she felt the taste of alcohol slid down her throat and then sighed. She felt a warm hand touched her shoulder from behind her. She opened her eyes and smiled knowing it was Sergio. Deep inside, she beamed in victory for not freaking out. Sergio's touch became so familiar to her that she couldn't help but connect her hand to his and then looked up to see his warmest smile. However, the moment was interrupted by the claps and whistles of his friends.

"There's the man of the evening!" Rio happily shouted and everybody laughed.

"Welcome, my friends." Andres said, stretching out his arms in a dramatic motion.

"Goodness! You're always so extra!" Agata jokingly said and stood up to give the man a hug. While everybody else did the same, even Denver and Monica, Sergio asked for Raquel's hand and pulled her up from her seat. It's time to meet his brother.

"Andres."

"Ah, hermano." His brother acknowledged him and pulled him into a tight hug.

"This is Raquel. The uhm…friend…that I was telling you about."

Raquel smiled her sweet smile but before she could say her greetings, she found herself almost suffocating within his brother's arms.

"Thank you for coming. Not only tonight, but also into my little brother's life."

"Oh my god." Sergio reacted, already embarrassed by his brother's dramatics.

"Raquel?" she heard someone say. "Raquel Murillo?" the redhead appeared from Andres' behind.

"Alicia?" Raquel recognized in bewilderment. "Alicia Sierra."

"Oh, you two know each other?" Andres said, not exactly surprised.

"Yes." Both women answered at the same time.

"We knew each other from the academy." Raquel added. Alicia and her are not exactly close friends. If anything else, they are competitors. They're not enemies per se, but they find themselves always in each other's nerves.

"I want to say that it's nice to see you but, I'm just not feeling it." Alicia infuriatingly said.

"Oh don't worry. _Not feeling it_ is all I feel for you." Raquel spat in response.

"Okay woah." Sergio held her by the shoulder.

"Well, isn't that a nice surprise." Andres said with a smirk as if he was enjoying the ruckus. "Now, before you two kill each other, why don't we have dinner first? Yes?"

_**Sergio**_

The night is young at the De Fonollosa household. Everyone exchanged stories like they haven't seen each other for the longest time. Even Raquel and Alicia share a laugh at stories about their time at the academy, somehow realizing how immature they both were at the time. Denver shared how he and Monica met and their instant attraction with each other, which made Monica blush.

"How about you professor? How did you meet the lovely Raquel?" Yashin asked. The question sent Sergio into his panic-mode so he gulped his remaining drink, which he soon realized was a pretty bad idea because now he can feel the heat on his face. He can only imagine how red his face looked.

"You know, it wasn't very different from my story actually. Both our jaws gaped open when we saw our ladies for the first time." Denver casually shared then laughed his weird laugh.

"Seriously, how could you stand his laugh?" Agata teased Monica who only happily shrugged.

"I think that's a story for another time." Andres announced. "Right now, I have something important to say."

The tone of the announcement made Sergio nervous. Something doesn't feel right. He knew that his brother like extravaganzas, but he wouldn't just gather the gang just because he missed them. Everyone at the table dropped whatever they were eating and drinking and expectantly looked at Andres.

"Hey. You okay?" Raquel whispered and touched his hand. He smiled telling her he was fine and took a deep breath.

"I gathered you all here because I consider you my family."

He looked at Raquel and Monica and then said, "And if you are someone important to my brothers, then I consider you family." He continued, "I have been fighting a battle for quiet some time now. And I kept it to myself, for the time being, because I thought I could fight it alone."

"Andres…" Sergio softly but nervously called. His brother looked at him and sadly smiled.

"Especially, from you. And I'm sorry. I thought I could protect you from what was once your nightmare- and now my reality."

"What are you talking about?" he asked in a trembling voice. Andres paused before continuing.

"Several months ago, I was diagnosed with a kind of neuromuscular disease called Helmer's Myopathy. Basically my muscles get weaker, and weaker as the days pass by until I can't function anymore."

"It can be cured right?" Martin asked squarely, his eyes scared but hopeful.

"There are treatments I could undergo to lessen the pain."

"You didn't answer him." Sergio said in a flat tone.

"I'm not finished." He looked at him with a straight face then continued, "I ought to tell you that the doctor said I have a few more months to live. With treatments, there's a slight possibility that I could last for a year. However, with or without the treatments, the ending's gonna be same for me."

That was when Agata started shaking in tears. Yashin hugged her, trying to contain his own distress. Martin stared at him with blank eyes, trying to process what had just been said. A few seconds later, a tear fell from his eye. Rio covered his face with his hands while Denver stood up from his seat and then walked back and forth trying to breathe in and out. Monica approached the young man to soothe him down. Sergio, on the other hand, remained calm. He can feel Raquel's eyes bore on him, as if waiting for him to break down like everybody else.

"Does Silene know about this?" he calmly asked Andres.

"Yes. She took the first flight she could get to come home from Tokyo."

"Good. That's good. Now what did the doctors say about the treatments? How much would it cost?"

"Oh no. I've decided not to subject myself to any treatments. I don't want to watch my body rot from all the drugs and chemicals I'd have to take."

"You're kidding right? Those drugs and chemicals might save you." Sergio said in a firm voice, his breathing becoming heavy.

"No they will not, Sergio. They could _possibly_ make my life a little bit longer, but no, they will not save me." Andres said and determinedly continued, "I will live like I've always had and I will spend the rest of my days in the arms of my beautiful cariño- preferably in bed." he said trying to make light of the atmosphere.

"You knew about this?!" he raised his voice to Alicia, which made all of them look at him with fear in their eyes.

"Yes. He told me about it the first few days we started seeing each other." Alicia answered with her chin up- unfazed with Sergio's sudden burst of anger. 

"And you're okay with his decision?" he scoffed in disgust.

"I'm with him- whatever he decides." 

"NO!" he finally snapped and slammed his hands on the table. He heard Raquel gasped in shock. He couldn't look at her. Not at his state like this.

"Don't shout at her!" Andres said matching Sergio's intense voice. The siblings stared each other with piercing eyes, neither one of them dared to blink.

"If you care about us, you'd fight to live. If you love her, you'd choose to fight and risk all the possibility you have of getting better."

"What do you know about love, my dear brother? Really? Tell me all about it."

"You're not being fair!"

"You spent each day for the past month following a woman like a puppy who's never going to get his treat!"

"Andres!" Alicia tried to stop him from saying more things he might regret later on.

"How. Dare. You." Sergio uttered each word with grave enunciation that left everyone in the room more frightened- his knuckles turning white from clenching his fists too tight.

"Oh I'm sorry. Did I hurt both your fragile hearts?"

"Andres, please." Alicia said and held Andres' hand to calm him down. Sergio stood up with so much force that he sent the chair tumbling down and then walked out. Raquel, though still in shock, followed him in a heartbeat.

He sat at the stair of the front porch and huffed the breath he didn't realize he was holding. He looked at the night sky in an effort to calm himself down. He heard the front door opened followed by some frantic footsteps, which shortly stopped right behind him. Raquel took a sit beside him but stayed silent. Now the both of them are looking at the sky.

"It's not fair." He finally said, breaking the silence. "I fought, Raquel. My father moved Heaven and Earth to support my treatments- just so I could be better. God knows how many times I said enough. But my father refused to give up. And now here I am and I made it. Why can't he be the same?"

"Sergio. You and you're brother are completely different."

"Exactly. He has all the means to make himself better. Hell, I'm willing to spend money to help him get better."

"But it's not about money to him. It's about what makes him happy."

He sighed knowing there's truth in what Raquel was saying.

"I can't lose him, Raquel." He said with a heavy heart. The pain of losing his father became all too new once more.

"And he can't lose you too, especially at a time like this. He needs you to support him."

"How? Am I supposed to jump in joy?" he couldn't believe he's being sarcastic to Raquel. She didn't deserve to be snapped at like this.

"No. But you can start by not making him feel guilty for wanting to spend the rest of life being happy."

"It's so hard."

"I know. And the truth is, it's going to get more difficult. That's why you have to be there by his side."

He looked at her with longing eyes. She smiled and opened her palm, asking him to take her hand, and so he did.

"Come on. Let's go back inside."

_**Raquel**_

When she and Sergio went back inside the house, they heard soft laughter coming from the veranda. She looked at Sergio with encouraging eyes and urged him to come out. He slid the door open and all eyes turned at their direction. Andres stood up with a smile on his face and walked towards Sergio with such urgency. Sergio met his brother halfway and pulled him into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry." Sergio said to his brother.

She smiled at the sight. Andres caught her eyes and then mouthed a thank you. He finally let go of his younger brother and walked towards her. He took her hands and said,

"I owe you an apology."

"There's no need, really." She said and offered him a genuine smile.

"Thank you for bringing him back." He whispered and looked at his brother.

"Don't worry. He didn't go anywhere." He let go of her hands and then turned around.

"I can see why our professor likes her." He shrugged while everybody smiled at Sergio. She touched Andres' elbow to catch his attention.

"Andres, thank you for the wonderful dinner." 

"Almost."

"It was wonderful meeting all of you, but I'm afraid I need to head out." She shook hands with the gang and wished them all a good night. When she was about to approach Sergio, he stood up and gathered his things.

"Stay. I'll be fine, I'll just get a cab."

"Not happening. I'm bringing you back home."

The ride all the way back home was quiet. Sergio stopped his car in front of her house, yet they stayed inside for a few still moments.

"I'm sorry for what you had to witness." He said in a gentle voice.

"Please don't apologize." 

"But I want to. And…I just want you to know that I wouldn't hold it against you if you don't want to ever see me again."

"What? Where is this coming from?"

"I couldn't contain my frustration back there, Raquel."

"You were upset. I don't even know Andres that well and yet I was upset."

"Still. I should've controlled my emotion and not act out like that. Especially with you at my side."

"Sergio, I'm fine." She took his hand. "I'll be honest. I was terrified to see you like that but not because of my history. I was terrified because I wanted to comfort you but I couldn't because everything happened so quickly and I held back, when I shouldn't."

"Don't say that. You were right there, at the right time, with the right words. I went back in there because of what you made me realize. Thank you for being there for me." He said, tears forming in his eyes and it broke her heart. She's not used to seeing him so defeated and hurt and she wanted to kiss the pain away. But before she could do anything else, he spoke.

"You should head inside. I'll accompany you." He said then got out of his car. He walked on her side and opened the door for her. She mouthed her thanks and walked with him until they reach her front door. She turned around to face him.

"You have great friends, Sergio. Thank you for introducing them to me."

"I'm sure the pleasure is theirs." He smiled, tiny wrinkles formed at the corner of his eyes.

"Well then, good night." She held his gaze waiting for something, although she wasn't sure what.

"G'night." Sergio said and finally walked away.

"Sergio, wait!" she called out. Sergio turned around and looked at her, halfway through his path and she strode towards him with her heart pounding. She can see the confused look on his eyes as she approached nearer and nearer. She stopped right in front of him and grabbed his face with her trembling hands. She touched her forehead with his, feeling his breath as his nose connected with hers.

"Raquel wha-" he almost pulled away but she didn't let him finish and shut his mouth in a searing kiss.

Each and every emotion the both of them had been holding back came rushing through all at once in their kiss. She opened her mouth and Sergio took no time for granted and searched for her tongue. She felt him wrapped his hands on her waist so she did the same and wrapped her arms around his neck, aching to deepen the kiss. His moan sent vibrations down her throat and she couldn't help but moan in response. When the need for oxygen became necessary, she pulled away and rested her forehead against him.

They were both breathing heavily when she felt a hot liquid started streaming down his face. She held him tighter. She wiped the tears away with her thumb and nestled his head on the nape of her neck.

"You don't have to be strong all the time." She said. "I'm right here, Sergio. This time, I am right here." She whispered as she closed her eyes, hoping to somehow ease her beloved's sorrows away.


End file.
